


What Might Have Been

by radiantanor



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Gondolin, One Shot, One-Sided Attraction, POV Second Person, The Reasons Maeglin Disliked Men, but only hinted at, ironically his concerns about Gondolin's safety being compromised are real, though that's far from the only reason he disapproves of H&H being allowed to leave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-08-29 08:12:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16740319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radiantanor/pseuds/radiantanor
Summary: The Eagles bring Húrin and Huor to Gondolin and then back to their kin a year later. Maeglin has a lot of complicated feelings about that, especially when it comes to the latter.





	What Might Have Been

The last time the Eagles had come so close, they had delivered the crushed body of the fallen High King, your grandfather. This time, they carry two living people. Two boys of the Edain, of the House of Hador. You have not watched their arrival, busy in your workshop as usual for that time of day. A servant is sent to summon you to the Palace because of the occasion, and you hear further rumours from Salgant and Penlod on the way.

 

When you arrive in your uncle's throne room, the audience is just beginning. The two boys are standing in the middle of the hall, already clean and dressed in Gondolindrim clothes. King Turgon must have formally welcomed them already. It seems that Idril was the one who had led them inside and introduced them, as she is currently standing next to them.

"... everything will be alright, you're safe now and all of us will treat you as honoured guests," you hear her say as you come closer. "And I shall pray to the Valar for the safety of your kin, as well."

 

She is smiling at them and has put her hand on the younger one's shoulder. It reminds you of the time shortly after your own arrival, when she had acted similarly towards yourself. You have remembered that kindness whenever you doubted how much she truly liked you, or if you even had a place in Gondolin. It irks you to see that she would apparently treat anyone she regarded as in need of help the same, though you tell yourself that such thoughts are below you. Naturally, Idril would be kind and generous to anyone. That's what makes her the great lady she is.

You nod in her direction when she catches your eye, then take your place among the other court members and continue to observe the Edain. They are looking around in awe, the younger one more obviously than the older, who at least manages to thank Turgon and Idril, but both are clearly amazed by the beauty around them. One of the courtiers whispers their names - Húrin and Huor of Dor-Lómin - to you.

 

Meanwhile, your uncle starts to explain what they need to know about the city and their stay in it.

"Gondolin, or Ondolindë in Quenya, was built with security in mind. Though our walls are strong, the best insurance is our secrecy. I do not believe that either of you would ever consciously reveal its existence or location to the Enemy - and yet, I must tell you that by our laws you may not leave."

 

You can see the exact moment their joy fades. The older of the two, Húrin, takes no more than a second to arrange his face into something that is clearly meant to be a blank expression, yet fails to hide how tense he feels now. You would not be surprised if he were already planning how to address this matter later.

"I understand, my lord and king. My brother and I will respect your decision," he says for now, though it's obvious he doesn't understand at all. Huor, a child still, does not even try to hide his shock.

 

Suddenly, you feel sympathy for them; for all they claim to have fought Orcs in battle, they are mere boys, being told they will never see their family again... Their short lives must make it all worse. If nothing changes within the next few decades, it will be too late for them.

But it is necessary for the safety of the city, and the needs of the many must be prioritized before the needs of the few. You squash whatever you were feeling. Your sympathy or pity will not help them. Your uncle won't change his mind about the law, nor should he have to. Thinking about the impossible is useless, you know that from experience, and entertaining this particular line of thought would only lead you to waste your time on might-have-beens again.

 

The boys are ushered away to their guest-rooms. The more you consider it, the more disagreeable does Huor's open-mouthed dismay seem to you. His older brother had to nudge him just to get him to say some words of gratitude to Turgon.

 _They_ _ought to be happy to be here. The life standard and_ _the_ _opportunities are bound to be better than wher_ _e_ _they're from,_ you tell yourself. _And there's two of them, so it's not like they will be all that lonely even if they fail to fit in with everyone else._ _If they are wise, they'll see the benefits soon._

 

 

 

Less than a year later, the friendships they have struck with all the important people and the fervent way they talk of the war outside bear fruit. Turgon still says that letting them leave is „not a decision to be made lightly“, but you suspect that it is a decision he will soon make.

 

The unfairness of it is making you seethe. You cloak yourself in righteous words about the security risk, the laws and the precedent it would set, and many listen. But there are enough people - Idril among them - who are certain that Húrin and Huor are trustworthy enough to ignore the potential problems their loyalty couldn't remove. Such as the fact that their people are bound to wonder where they were. More so if they return having obviously spent all this time among Elves they won't talk about, than if they never do. The more you think about it, the more good reasons there are to protest against their leaving. For a while that even keeps you from thinking about why this particular injustice hurts so much. But in the end, there is nothing you can do when Turgon lets them go with his blessing. Even their vows, despite allaying most of the security concerns, are no balm to you.

 

_How can he just- the law should be the same for everyone- why couldn't he, back then- what if he had..._

All the might-have-beens are on your mind once again.

**Author's Note:**

> "The King's grace is greater than you know, and the law is become less stern than aforetime; or else no choice would be given you but to abide here to your life's end." - There's no way Maeglin saying that had nothing to do with certain tragic events in his own history.


End file.
